There is a kernel of truth in this article, but a lot of what used to be
called the "Blame America First" crowd.
For one thing, many people in the developing world look to the United States
for inspiration and hope. Not *everyone* hates us. Many who do are in the
plight they are in not because of anything the US has done but because of the
corruption and evil of their own governments. We're not responsible for the
misery in Afghanistan; yes, we armed Afghan militants against Russia, but we
didn't invade Afghanistan in the first place, which is what created the civil
war that has led to the Taliban's (temporary, I hope) supremancy. We're not
responsible for the poverty in Syria; we're not responsible for the poverty
in Africa, never having been a colonial power there.
It's insane to blame *everything* on the United States.
I agree that Americans, being a free people, cannot ignore what our
government does abroad. But it's not like everything we do abroad is wrong or
bad. People who criticize ignore the positive things America stands for.
Basically, this article contains a cognitive split: the author dislikes
America and American power, then holds us responsible for not solving all the
problems in the world. But when we try to solve problems, all we get is
criticism. And when we withdraw from trying to solve problems, we get more
criticism. It's like the critics are trying to have it both ways.
As Tom Friedman pointed out in his superb column in Wednesday's NY Times, the
fanatics who hate us, hate us not for what we DO but for what we ARE. Yes,
there needs to be peace in the Middle East; but don't you realize, the
fanatics (on both sides) are doing everything they can to KEEP peace from
ever happening? The suicide bombings in Israel are not protests that there is
no peace, they are deliberate provocations to SHATTER peace.
We could devote ourselves to solving every problem on the planet; and maybe
we should. But there would STILL be people who hate our very existence.
Tom Beck
